Keystone, Colo.: Rank 12 West, 1998

Keystone isn't Aspen or Sun Valley, nor does it pretend to be. The unpretentious attitude is just what many SKI readers like about this three-peaked Summit County resort. That plus 1,755 acres of varied and surprisingly challenging terrain, the ninth-ranked on-mountain food in North America and an abundance of slopeside lodging. Keystone meets all needs: Intermediates boost their egos on Starfire and Elk Run while thrill-seekers flow to North Peak and The Outback. You have to drive to nearby Frisco or Breckenridge for a kicky nightlife, but Keystone has its own brand of evening activity: night skiing until 9 pm, which is one reason the resort consistently earns high marks from families¿and other skiers. "Great place to have a business meeting in the morning and ski in the afternoon," a reader says. Even with hundreds of upscale condos (plus retail shops and restaurants) rising up in the smartly planned $700 million River Run Village, Keystone retains a Silver medal for Value. The Keystone ticket is also good at A-Basin and Breckenridge, and some ticket packages will also get you on the lifts at Vail and Beaver Creek. All five are connected by shuttle. "This place makes you happy," a reader says.